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chater eleven the dark catle（第1页）

WHENthemeal（whichwaspigeonpie，coldham，salad，andcakes）hadbeenbrought，andallhaddrawntheirchairsuptothetableandbegun，theKnightcontinued：“Youmustunderstand，friends，thatIknownothingofwhoIwasandwhenceIcameintothisDarkWorld。IremembernotimewhenIwasnotdwelling，asnow，atthecourtofthisallbutheavenlyQueen；butmythoughtisthatshesavedmefromsomeevilenchantmentandbroughtmehitherofherexceedingbounty。（HonestFrogfoot，yourcupisempty。Suffermetorefillit。）AndthisseemstomethelikelierbecauseevennowIamboundbyaspell，fromwhichmyLadyalonecanfreeme。Everynighttherecomesanhourwhenmymindismosthorriblychanged，and，aftermymind，mybody。ForfirstIbecomefuriousandwildandwouldrushuponmydearestfriendstokillthem，ifIwerenotbound。Andsoonafterthat，Iturnintothelikenessofagreatserpent，hungry，fierce，anddeadly。（Sir，bepleasedtotakeanotherbreastofpigeon，Ientreatyou。）Sotheytellme，andtheycertainlyspeaktruth，formyLadysaysthesame。Imyselfknownothingofit，forwhenmyhourispastIawakeforgetfulofallthatvilefitandinmypropershapeandsoundmind—savingthatIamsomewhatwearied。（Littlelady，eatoneofthesehoneycakes，whicharebroughtformefromsomebarbarouslandinthefarsouthoftheworld。）NowtheQueen’smajestyknowsbyherartthatIshallbefreedfromthisenchantmentwhenonceshehasmademekingofalandintheOverworldandsetitscrownuponmyhead。Thelandisalreadychosenandtheveryplaceofourbreakingout。HerEarthmenhaveworkeddayandnightdiggingawaybeneathit，andhavenowgonesofarandsohighthattheytunnelnotascoreoffeetbeneaththeverygrassonwhichtheUpdwellersofthatcountrywalk。ItwillbeverysoonnowthatthoseUplanders’fatewillcomeuponthem。Sheherselfisatthediggingstonight，andIexpectamessagetogotoher。Thenthethinroofofearthwhichstillkeepsmefrommykingdomwillbebrokenthrough，andwithhertoguidemeandathousandEarthmenatmyback，Ishallrideforthinarms，fallsuddenlyonourenemies，slaytheirchiefmen，castdowntheirstrongplaces，anddoubtlessbetheircrownedkingwithinfourandtwentyhours。”

“It’sabitroughluckonthem，isn’tit？”saidScrubb。

“Thouartaladofawondrous，quick-workingwit！”exclaimedtheKnight。“For，onmyhonour，Ihadneverthoughtofitsobefore。Iseeyourmeaning。”Helookedslightly，veryslightlytroubledforamomentortwo；buthisfacesoonclearedandhebrokeout，withanotherofhisloudlaughs，“Butfieongravity！Isitnotthemostcomicalandridiculousthingintheworldtothinkofthemallgoingabouttheirbusinessandneverdreamingthatundertheirpeacefulfieldsandfloors，onlyafathomdown，thereisagreatarmyreadytobreakoutuponthemlikeafountain！Andtheynevertohavesuspected！Why，theythemselves，whenoncethefirstsmartoftheirdefeatisover，canhardlychoosebutlaughatthethought！”

“Idon’tthinkit’sfunnyatall，”saidJill。“Ithinkyou’llbeawickedtyrant。”

“What？”saidtheKnight，stilllaughingandpattingherheadinaquiteinfuriatingfashion。“Isourlittlemaidadeeppolitician？Butneverfear，sweetheart。Inrulingthatland，IshalldoallbythecounselofmyLady，whowillthenbemyQueentoo。Herwordshallbemylaw，evenasmywordwillbelawtothepeoplewehaveconquered。”

“WhereIcomefrom，”saidJill，whowasdislikinghimmoreeveryminute，“theydon’tthinkmuchofmenwhoarebossedaboutbytheirwives。”

“Shaltthinkotherwisewhenthouhastamanofthineown，Iwarrantyou，”saidtheKnight，apparentlythinkingthisveryfunny。“ButwithmyLady，itisanothermatter。Iamwellcontenttolivebyherword，whohasalreadysavedmefromathousanddangers。Nomotherhastakenpainsmoretenderlyforherchild，thantheQueen’sgracehasforme。Why，lookyou，amidallhercaresandbusiness，sheridethoutwithmeintheOverworldmanyatimeandofttoaccustommyeyestothesunlight。AndthenImustgofullyarmedandwithvisordown，sothatnomanmayseemyface，andImustspeaktonoone。ForshehasfoundoutbyartmagicalthatthiswouldhindermydeliverancefromthegrievousenchantmentIlieunder。Isnotthataladyworthyofaman’swholeworship？”

“Soundsaveryniceladyindeed，”saidPuddlegluminavoicewhichmeantexactlytheopposite。

TheywerethoroughlytiredoftheKnight’stalkbeforetheyhadfinishedsupper。Puddleglumwasthinking，“Iwonderwhatgamethatwitchisreallyplayingwiththisyoungfool。”Scrubbwasthinking，“He’sagreatbaby，really：tiedtothatwoman’sapronstrings；he’sasap。”AndJillwasthinking，“He’sthesilliest，mostconceited，selfishpigI’vemetforalongtime。”Butwhenthemealwasover，theKnight’smoodhadchanged。Therewasnomorelaughterabouthim。

“Friends，”hesaid，“myhourisnowverynear。IamashamedthatyoushouldseemeyetIdreadbeingleftalone。Theywillcomeinpresentlyandbindmehandandfoottoyonderchair。Alas，soitmustbe：forinmyfury，theytellme，IwoulddestroyallthatIcouldreach。”

“Isay，”saidScrubb，“I’mawfullysorryaboutyourenchantmentofcourse，butwhatwillthosefellowsdotouswhentheycometobindyou？Theytalkedofputtingusinprison。Andwedon’tlikeallthosedarkplacesverymuch。We’dmuchratherstayheretillyou’re…better…ifwemay。”

“Itiswellthoughtof，”saidtheKnight。“BycustomnonebuttheQueenherselfremainswithmeinmyevilhour。SuchishertendercareformyhonourthatshewouldnotwillinglysufferanyearsbutherowntohearthewordsIutterinthatfrenzy。ButIcouldnoteasilypersuademyattendantgnomesthatyoushouldbeleftwithme。AndIthinkIheartheirsoftfeetevennowuponthestairs。Gothroughyonderdoor：itleadsintomyotherapartments。Andthere，eitherawaitmycomingwhentheyhaveunboundme；or，ifyouwill，returnandsitwithmeinmyravings。”

Theyfollowedhisdirectionsandpassedoutoftheroombyadoorwhichtheyhadnotyetseenopened。Itbroughtthem，theywerepleasedtosee，notintodarknessbutintoalightedcorridor。Theytriedvariousdoorsandfound（whattheyverybadlyneeded）waterforwashingandevenalookingglass。“Heneverofferedusawashbeforesupper，”saidJill，dryingherface。“Selfish，self-centredpig。”

“Arewegoingbacktowatchtheenchantment，orshallwestayhere？”saidScrubb。

“Stayhere，Ivote，”saidJill。“I’dmuchrathernotseeit。”Butshefeltalittleinquisitiveallthesame。

“No，goback，”saidPuddleglum。“Wemaypickupsomeinformation，andweneedallwecanget。IamsurethatQueenisawitchandanenemy。AndthoseEarthmenwouldknockusontheheadassoonaslookatus。There’sastrongersmellofdangerandliesandmagicandtreasonaboutthislandthanI’veeversmelledbefore。Weneedtokeepoureyesandearsopen。”

Theywentbackdownthecorridorandgentlypushedthedooropen。“It’sallright，”saidScrubb，meaningthattherewerenoEarthmenabout。Thentheyallcamebackintotheroomwheretheyhadsupped。

Themaindoorwasnowshut，concealingthecurtainbetweenwhichtheyhadfirstentered。TheKnightwasseatedinacurioussilverchair，towhichhewasboundbyhisankles，hisknees，hiselbows，hiswrists，andhiswaist。Therewassweatonhisforeheadandhisfacewasfilledwithanguish。

“Comein，friends，”hesaid，glancingquicklyup。“Thefitisnotyetuponme。Makenonoise，forItoldthatpryingchamberlainthatyouwereinbed。Now。。。Icanfeelitcoming。Quick！ListenwhileIammasterofmyself。Whenthefitisuponme，itwellmaybethatIshallbegandimploreyou，withentreatiesandthreatenings，toloosenmybonds。TheysayIdo。Ishallcalluponyoubyallthatismostdearandmostdreadful。Butdonotlistentome。Hardenyourheartsandstopyourears。ForwhileIamboundyouaresafe。ButifonceIwereupandoutofthischair，thenfirstwouldcomemyfury，andafterthat”—heshuddered—“thechangeintoaloathsomeserpent。”

“There’snofearofourloosingyou，”saidPuddleglum。“We’venowishtomeetwildmen；orserpentseither。”

“Ishouldthinknot，”saidScrubbandJilltogether。

“Allthesame，”addedPuddlegluminawhisper。“Don’tlet’sbetoosure。Let’sbeonourguard。We’vemuffedeverythingelse，youknow。He’llbecunning，Ishouldn’twonder，oncehegetsstarted。Canwetrustoneanother？Doweallpromisethatwhateverhesayswedon’ttouchthosecords？Whateverhesays，mindyou？”

“Rather！”saidScrubb。

“There’snothingintheworldhecansayordothat’llmakemechangemymind，”saidJill。

“Hush！Something’shappening，”saidPuddleglum。

TheKnightwasmoaning。Hisfacewasaspaleasputty，andhewrithedinhisbonds。Andwhetherbecauseshewassorryforhim，orforsomeotherreason，Jillthoughtthathelookedanicersortofmanthanhehadlookedbefore。

“Ah，”hegroaned。“Enchantments，enchantments。。。theheavy，tangled，cold，clammywebofevilmagic。Buriedalive。Draggeddownundertheearth，downintothesootyblackness。。。howmanyyearsisit？。。。HaveIlivedtenyears，orathousandyears，inthepit？Maggotmenallaroundme。Oh，havemercy。Letmeout，letmegoback。Letmefeelthewindandseethesky。。。Thereusedtobealittlepool。Whenyoulookeddownintoityoucouldseeallthetreesgrowingupside-downinthewater，allgreen，andbelowthem，deep，verydeep，thebluesky。”

Hehadbeenspeakinginalowvoice；nowhelookedup，fixedhiseyesuponthem，andsaidloudandclear：

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